UNCLAS ROME 003700

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EUN
SUBJECT: ITALIANS SUPPORT ALBANIAN AMMO INCINERATOR PROJECT
BUT CAN'T COMMIT FUNDING

REF: STATE 135759


1. THE GOI SUPPORTS THE AMMUNITION INCINERATOR FOR ALBANIA
BUT DOES NOT HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE NOW TO CONTRIBUTE,
ACCORDING TO MAURIZIO MASSARI, HEAD OF THE MFA'S BALKAN
AFFAIRS OFFICE. HE TOLD POL-MIL OFFICER IT WAS NOT A MATTER
OF WHETHER ITALY WOULD CONTRIBUTE, BUT WHEN. ITALY CONSIDERS
THE PROJECT POLITICALLY IMPORTANT, HE SAID. MASSARI NOTED
THAT IT WOULD NOT BE EASY TO CHANNEL FUNDS THROUGH THE EU
BECAUSE THE PROJECT INVOLVES AMMUNITION RATHER THAN ARMS,
WHICH WOULD REQUIRE REWRITING THE MANDATE OF ONE OF THE
RELEVANT EU COMMITTEES. MASSARI SAID HE WOULD WORK WITHIN
THE EU AND BILATERALLY TO URGE CONCRETE SUPPORT FOR THE
PROJECT.


2. POL-MIL OFFICER AND CANADIAN DCM NATHALIE DUBE INITIALLY
PRESENTED THE DEMARCHE TO ALESSANDRO CEVESE, DIRECTOR OF THE
MFA'S ARMS CONTROL AND DISARMAMENT OFFICE. CEVESE CONFIRMED
THAT FUNDS ARE NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH HIS (FUNCTIONAL)
DIRECTORATE, AS HE TOLD THE CANADIAN DELEGATION THAT
DISCUSSED THE PROJECT WITH HIM IN JUNE. HE SAID HE WOULD
COORDINATE WITH MASSARI, IN THE RELEVANT GEOGRAPHIC
DIRECTORATE, SINCE ANY FUNDING ITALY CAN PROVIDE WILL LIKELY
COME FROM THAT SOURCE.

SEMBLER

UNCLASSIFIED

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2002ROME03700 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED